Pier 16 restaurant closes in Orange City

JEFFREY CASSADYBUSINESS WRITER

Monday

Sep 24, 2012 at 11:24 AM

Simmons cited tough economic conditions in closing the restaurant after 21 years.

ORANGE CITY — A longtime West Volusia restaurant has closed its doors after more than two decades in operation. "All good things have to come to an end," said owner Roland Simmons, of his decision to close the Pier 16 Fish House at 1081 N. Volusia Ave. in Orange City. "I had (the restaurant) for 21 years, and I'm just tired of it." Simmons cited tough economic conditions, volatility in the seafood market and the cost of insuring the wooden building that housed Pier 16 as reasons for the Sept. 16 closure. "We all know what's going on with the economy," Simmons said. "Nobody has any money anymore. People are cutting back, and seafood is a pricey item. You can only drop the price so much." Simmons said business fell significantly after the financial crisis in 2008. The restaurant, which employed about 35 people in 2008, was down to a staff of 19 at the time it closed. "(Pier 16's closing) is a bit heart-breaking," said Nick Conte, executive director of the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce. "It's been a rough quarter for the restaurants," he said, noting that another longtime West Volusia restaurant, the Denny's in DeLand, closed in July. Also recently closing was Tomasita's Cuban Bistro in downtown DeLand. The closing of Pier 16 came as a surprise to Renee Tallevast, executive director of the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority. Tallevast said she had been a customer of the restaurant since 1994. "It was just a great, relaxed atmosphere," she said, adding that she was particularly fond of the restaurant's fried pickles. "The prices were reasonable. Everything I'd ever had there was excellent."Despite his recent experience with Pier 16, Simmons, who lives in DeLand, doesn't plan to leave the industry. Instead, he will take some time off and then open a new restaurant later this year, he said. Simmons declined to give specifics about his plans, but said the new restaurant will be smaller than Pier 16 and will not focus on seafood. "I want to stay in the restaurant business," Simmons said. "I'm just taking it easy for a while."

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